1 Fish. Marry, sir, half a day's journey: and I'll tell you, he hath a fair daughter, and to-morrow is her birth-day; and there are princes and knights come from all parts of the world, to joust and tourney for her love.

Per. Were my fortunes equal to my desires, I could wish to make one there.

1 Fish. O, sir! things must be as they may; and what a man cannot get, he may lawfully deal for. His wife's soul'—

Re-enter the Two Fishermen, drawing up a Net.

2 Fish. Help, master, help! here's a fish hangs in the net, like a poor man's right in the law; 'twill hardly come out. Ha! bots on't; 'tis come at last, and 'tis turned to a rusty armour.

Per. An armour, friends! I pray you, let me see it. Thanks, fortune, yet, that after all crosses

Thou giv'st me somewhat to repair myself:

And though it was mine own, part of mine heritage,
Which my dead father did bequeath to me,

With this strict charge (even as he left his life)
"Keep it, my Pericles, it hath been a shield

'Twixt me and death;" (and pointed to this brace) "For that it sav'd me, keep it; in like necessity, The which the gods protect thee from2! it may defend thee."

It kept where I kept, I so dearly lov'd it,

Till the rough seas, that spare not any man,
Took it in rage, though calm'd, have given 't again.
I thank thee for't: my shipwreck now's no ill,

1 His wife's soul-] We are inclined to think, with Steevens, that the 1 Fisherman is here interrupted by the return of his companions, and did not therefore finish his sentence. No sense can be made out of the speech, by supposing the words "His wife's soul" connected, as it stands in the old copies, with the previous portion of the speech.

2

fame.

the gods protect thee FROM !] In the old copies, "from" is misprinted

Since I have here my father's gift in's will3. 1 Fish. What mean you, sir?

Per. To beg of you, kind friends, this coat of worth, For it was sometime target to a king;

I know it by this mark. He lov'd me dearly,

And for his sake I wish the having of it;

And that you'd guide me to your sovereign's court, Where with it I may appear a gentleman : And if that ever my low fortunes better, I'll pay your bounties; till then, rest your debtor. 1 Fish. Why, wilt thou tourney for the lady? Per. I'll show the virtue I have borne in arms. 1 Fish. Why, do ye take it; and the gods give thee good on't!

2 Fish. Ay, but hark you, my friend; 'twas we that made up this garment through the rough seams of the waters: there are certain condolements, certain vails. I hope, sir, if you thrive, you'll remember from whence you had it.

Per. Believe it, I will.

By your furtherance I am cloth'd in steel;
And spite of all the rapture of the sea,
This jewel holds his biding on my arm1:
Unto thy value will I mount myself
Upon a courser, whose delightful steps

Shall make the gazer joy to see him tread.

3

my father's gift in's will.] So the quarto, 1619, the quarto, 1630, and the folio the quarto, 1609, "my father gare in his will." Steevens, for the sake of the metre, would read "by will," apparently not having looked at any copies but the quarto, 1609: "in's will" (a frequent contraction) suits the measure without any change.

4 And spite of all the RAPTURE of the sea,

This jewel holds his BIDING on my arm ;] In the old copies these lines run thus:

"And spite of all the rupture of the sea,

This jewel holds his building on my arm."

The novel founded upon "Pericles" shows that the two words, which in our text vary from the original copies, have been rightly changed by the commentators: Pericles, we are informed in the novel, got to land "with a jewel, whom all the raptures of the sea could not bereave from his arm." Sewel recommended "rapture" for rupture, and Malone substituted "biding" for building.

Only, my friend, I yet am unprovided

Of a pair of bases.

2 Fish. We'll sure provide: thou shalt have my best gown to make thee a pair, and I'll bring thee to the court myself.

Per. Then honour be but a goal to my will! This day I'll rise, or else add ill to ill.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The Same. A Platform leading to the Lists. A Pavilion near it, for the reception of the King, Princess, Ladies, Lords, &c.

Enter SIMONIDES, THAISA, Lords, and Attendants.

Sim. Are the knights ready to begin the triumph? 1 Lord. They are, my liege;

And stay your coming to present themselves.

Sim. Return them, we are ready; and our daughter, In honour of whose birth these triumphs are,

Sits here, like beauty's child, whom nature gat

For men to see, and seeing wonder at. [Exit a Lord.
Thai. It pleaseth you, my royal father, to express
My commendations great, whose merit's less.
Sim. "Tis fit it should be so; for princes are
A model, which heaven makes like to itself:
As jewels lose their glory if neglected,
So princes their renown, if not respected.
"Tis now your honour, daughter, to explain
The labour of each knight in his device.

Thai. Which, to preserve mine honour, I'll perform.

to EXPLAIN] This is a correction by Steevens: all the old editions have "to entertain."

Enter a Knight: he passes over the Stage, and his Squire presents his Shield to the Princess.

Sim. Who is the first that doth prefer himself?
Thai. A knight of Sparta, my renowned father;
And the device he bears upon his shield

Is a black Æthiop, reaching at the sun;
The word, Lux tua vita mihi".

Sim. He loves you well that holds his life of you.

[The second Knight passes over.

Who is the second that presents himself?

Thai. A prince of Macedon, my royal father;

And the device he bears upon his shield

Is an arm'd knight, that's conquer'd by a lady:

The motto thus, in Spanish, Piu per dulzura que per

fuerza.

[The third Knight passes over.

Sim. And what the third?

Thai.

The third of Antioch;

And his device, a wreath of chivalry :
The word, Me pompa provexit apex3.

[The fourth Knight passes over.

Sim. What is the fourth?

Thai. A burning torch, that's turned upside down; The word, Quod me alit, me extinguit.

Sim. Which shows that beauty hath his power and

will,

Which can as well inflame, as it can kill.

[The fifth Knight passes over. Thai. The fifth, a hand environed with clouds, Holding out gold that's by the touchstone tried;

6 The word, Lux tua vita mihi.] "The word" means the mot, or motto. Of old perhaps the motto consisted of only one word.

7 Me pompa procexit apex.] In the old copies, this is printed Me Pompey prorexit apex; and Steevens naturally conjectured, that Pompey ought to be pompa, in which emendation he is supported by the motto as given in the novel founded upon the play of "Pericles."

The motto thus, Sic spectanda fides.

[The sixth Knight passes over. Sim. And what's the sixth and last, the which the knight himself

With such a graceful courtesy deliver❜d?

Thai. He seems to be a stranger; but his present is A wither'd branch, that's only green at top:

The motto, In hac spe vivo.

Sim. A pretty moral:

From the dejected state wherein he is,

He hopes by you his fortunes yet may flourish.

1 Lord. He had need mean better, than his outward show

Can any way speak in his just commend;

For by his rusty outside he appears

To have practis'd more the whipstock, than the lance. 2 Lord. He well may be a stranger, for he comes

To an honour'd triumph strangely furnished.

3 Lord. And on set purpose let his armour rust Until this day, to scour it in the dust.

Sim. Opinion's but a fool, that makes us scan
The outward habit by the inward man.

But stay, the knights are coming: we'll withdraw
Into the gallery.

[Exeunt.

[Great Shouts, and all cry, The mean knight!

SCENE III.

The Same. A Hall of State.-A Banquet prepared.

Enter SIMONIDES, THAISA, Ladies, Lords, Knights, and Attendants.

Sim. Knights,

To say you are welcome were superfluous.

8

and Attendants.] The old stage-direction merely is, " Enter the King and Knights from Tilting."